Breeding Journal, Species: Pterapogon kauderni

General
Species:  Pterapogon kauderni
Social Structure:  pairs
Size of Individuals:  body is about 2 cm diameter
Age of Individuals:  unkown
Date added to Tank: May 9, 2012 , and then later, 10/16/2013

Broodstock Tank Details
Size of Tank: 20 gallon high                
Substrate Details:  crushed coral with large PVC fittings
Filtration Details:  sponge filter at the moment, will move to central live rock as quarantine proceeds.
Water Changes:  10 % weekly
Water Temperature:  79F
Lighting:  18 watt fluorescent
Lighting Cycle:  14 day, 10 night
Other Tank Inhabitants:  none

Broodstock Feeding Details
Food Types:  frozen mash , scallops, shrimp, and selco or salmon oil
Feeding Schedule:  twice daily

Spawning Details
Date of First Spawn:  5/18/2012
Spawn Time of Day:  mid day
Dates of Consecutive Spawns: 
Courtship Details:  killed off one small tank mate, did some banggai dance.
Egg Size: 
Egg Color: 
Egg Count: 

Hatch Details
Hatch Date: 
Hatch Time of Day: 
# Days after Spawn: 
Larvae Description:   
Consecutive Hatch Dates:     


Larval Tank Details
Temperature: 
Size of Larval Tank: 
Substrate Details: 
Other Tank Decor: 
Filtration Details: 
Lighting: 
Lighting Cycle: 
Water Changes: 

Larval Feeding Details
Food Types: 
Feeding Schedule: 

Metamorphosis/Settlement
Date of Settlement Start: 
Days after Hatch: 
Date of Settlement End: 
Description of Fry: 

Grow-Out Tank Details
Temperature: 
Size of Grow-Out Tank: 
Substrate Details: 
Other Tank Decor: 
Filtration Details: 
Lighting: 
Lighting Cycle: 
Water Changes: 
Size at Transfer: 
Age at Transfer: 

Grow-Out Feeding Details
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Feeding Schedule: 

Additional Information

(No Pictures or Videos in the Section Please)
Miscellaneous Information: 



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These are captive bred banggais that I bought today.

In captive bred fashion, they all ate well today! Frozen mash.

One of the 4 seemed to eat more than the others.  She, I assume it is female, had a swollen belly this morning.  Two of the smaller fish were hanging together in the back of the tank, and not eating well.  One of the larger ones was getting some attention from the plump female.
 
This afternoon, one of the small ones laid down to die.  When I saw that, I removed the other small one to another tank on the system, and watched the remaining two, the female and the larger one, getting along fine.  When I fed them this evening, the female ate as usual, and the other one did not. It's mouth is partially open, but I don't see the expanded jaw one associates with a mouth brooder.  This may be their first spawn, and it might be small enough that it did not need great expansion to hold on to it.
 
Hard to say, but I may have had a spawning event with these banggai.  We'll see if it holds true. 

The "male" was a reluctant eater this morning. The female ate well.
 
The survivor in the other tank is not doing great.  Some fins are shredded, and it barely ate, despite a cloud of yummy food around it.  I'll keep trying.

Female continues to aggressively eat.  Both supposed males did not eat.  Is it possible that she gave eggs to both, just a few, so that they did not fill either mouth? 

I doubt that Kathy.  In my experience, even with multiple males present, she will only breed with one at a time.  In groups it seems females will breed and court different males, but only one at a time.  I would be surprised if you have a spawn already, but that would be awesome, and I hope so! 
 
In my experience, Banggai are inconsistent eaters - sometimes eating heartily, other times not very interested.  I have also found that they get "stuck" on one food and will refuse everything but that food, then will get bored, and will pick a new favourite.  I have found all my Banggais' favourites to be frozen Brine Shrimp (ugh), live blackworms, and to a lesser extent PE Mysis and my homemade mash provided there isn't too much nori in the mix.  Getting my Banggai to eat quantity consistently has been difficult in the past, but now I seem to have found some fairly consistent favourites.

Thanks Mindy,
When I first got these guys, they all ate well.  When the fourth fish was found dead, that's when the supposed males stopped eating, and I moved them into two seperate tanks on the same system.
 
I'll try the smorgasbord of food, and see if I can entice them to eat, otherwise they are either holding, or will be dead of starvation…..

It was the later.  I think the female had eggs again, as she was plump one day, didn't eat the next day, was ravenous the next evening.  Now to find some more banggai.  I feel bad that they died, but I've never been terribly successful with these fish.  I'll keep trying.

I have had terrible luck trying to pair Banggai myself.  Some people just go to the LFS and pick out one with a bigger jaw, one with a smaller jaw, and next thing you know you hear they have Banggai releasing babies (holding to full term too!!!) into the tank.  Now that's just frustrating.  Good luck with your next try.

Don't let fear and common sense stop you! =]